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My Blog and I

My name is Diana. I am the blogger behind Offbeat Vagabond. I just
wanted something to help me rant on about things I love or don't quite
love. I am big on books, especially Urban
Fantasy, it is my favorite genre. Any Romance has to be Paranormal,
because love isn't natural without a gun and a beast involved. Although my tastes are very much expanding, I have discovered a love for Contemporary even BDSM (shocking!) I love
movies. Sci-fi/Fantasy/Horror/Action, pretty much anything as long as no
Romantic Comedies are involved (Katherine Heigl, you have been warned).
Music, TV, Wrestling are all my things as well (although I haven't been watching Wrestling as much as I used to). I am doing this for fun. I want to
write on a professional front, so blogging is a good stepping stone for
me. I just hope that stone doesn't have moss and I slip and break
something. So join me in my little piece of the Internet and remember,
it is normal to be abnormal

October Releases

Thursday, January 31, 2013

Fighting To Survive (As the World Dies #2) by Rhiannon Frater has just re-released on paperback! So as celebration, Frater along with Xpresso Book Tours has put together this wonderful release blitz, Frater has a guest post and giveaway for you guys. So let's get the ball rolling.

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Women, Society and the Zombocalypse

By

Rhiannon Frater

I honestly didn’t set out to write a feminist take on the zombocalypse when I started writing AS THE WORLD DIES as an online serial. I just wrote about the sort of people I that exist in my everyday life. The characters all evolved naturally as I wrote, as did their complicated relationships and sometimes disastrous choices. It was only later that I fully began to understand how ground-breaking having two female leads in the genre actually was.Admittedly, Jenni and Katie were born out of my desire to read a zombie story that was from a woman’s perspective. AS THE WORLD DIES was born as online serial in 2005. At that time zombie fiction was inundated with the lone gunman wandering across the zombie-infested lands. Women, children, and men who weren’t Rambo in disguise were merely zombie fodder. The women played the roles of the love interest (who often died), the victims, and the zombies. It became demoralizing to read over and over again stereotypes that bore no real resemblance to any of the women in my life. So when the characters of Jenni and Katie invaded my mind one day at work, I wanted to write their story and share it with others. When I started the serial, I wanted to write about real men and women with flaws and strengths struggling to rebuild society in the zombie wastelands. If history has shown us one thing, it’s that humans survive in communities. I didn’t want to create a world of alpha males and subservient women, or vice versa. I wanted to write about real people dealing with real life issues while facing the undead hordes. I didn’t want to shy away from the difficulties of creating a new community. Differences of opinion, religion, culture, etc. were definitely going to cause problems at some point. Little did I realize that the issues my characters tackled in the online serial (which ran from 2005-2007) would become hotbed issues in 2012. Religion, gay rights, and gender equality are all topics the people in the fort are forced to deal with while still dealing with bandits and zombies.

STRONG FEMALE CHARACTERSOddly enough, I never thought about any of the females in my story as being “strong” or unusual. The positive feedback to the characters was definitely a reaction to all the stereotypical women in these kinds of books. People were genuinely surprised to read such positive portrayals. The readers weren’t surprised that the women were strong and competent; they were surprised to see an accurate portrayal of themselves, their wives, their girlfriends, mothers, and sisters. Quite a few male friends have told me that they loved how certain female characters reminded them strongly of the women they love. Female fans have also shared how refreshing it was to see women doing the types of things they would do in the zombocalypse—like killing zombies. Jenni and Katie aren’t wonder women or superhuman like Alice in the Resident Evil films. They aren’t perfect either. Each has to deal with the aftermath of the destruction of their lives and they don’t always make the right choices. But they aren’t afraid to fight for their own lives and those they love. They step up and take part in the planning of the new community and fight for the survival of everyone.

THE REGULAR GUYSThough I get a lot of kudos for my female characters, I don’t feel that any of my male characters suffer from standing alongside competent women. I didn’t want to resort to the alpha male stereotype with my male characters, but I also didn’t want to weaken them. Travis and Juan play vital roles in the story and are just regular men facing horrible circumstances. They understand that to survive everyone has to work together and have their own strengths and weaknesses. One of my greatest compliments was when someone told me that he could totally see himself hanging out with my male characters because they were just “dudes.”

THE BIGOTSThere are, of course, men that don’t like the women playing such a strong role. One of them, Shane, becomes a dangerous foe to Katie when she has to kill his brother after he becomes infected. It’s in Shane and his cohort that we see a more dismissive attitude toward women and other people in general. Shane and Phillip are great at entering the zombie-infested towns and salvaging for supplies and serve the community well, but their attitudes toward women, especially bisexual Katie, creates serious problems for the burgeoning society in FIGHTING TO SURVIVE. Shane and Phillip challenge the rules of the new society with their behavior. One particularly upsetting scene between Shane and Katie immediately causes a rift among the people in the fort as people take sides in a “he said, she said” battle.

FRIENDSHIPSOne of the things that’s often missing in fiction, especially post-apocalyptic fiction, is the strong friendship bonds that exist among people. Often the survivors are not really friends, but people thrown together that just barely get along. In AS THE WORLD DIES, I enjoyed portraying various types of friendship bonds. There are best buddies, Juan and Travis, BFFs Ken and Lenore, and Jenni and Katie’s strong, sisterly friendship. Though people comment on all three friendships as being refreshing and similar to ones they share in their real lives, the one that stands out the most is the friendship between Jenni and Katie. Women are not often portrayed as being friends in fiction. In fact, a lot of heroines are often the only women in the book. Jenni and Katie’s friendship was one of the things my editor at Tor really enjoyed. It’s so rare to see female best friends who love and support each other. Usually women are portrayed as rivals. Since I have close female friends in my life it felt only natural to have Jenni and Katie be close.

In closing…I am very happy that readers embrace the characters and feel they are an honest, realistic version of people they have in their own lives. I am also pleased that readers have enjoyed the dynamics of the new and growing society in the middle of the zombocalypse.

The fort has grown crowded as
survivors of the zombie apocalypse have found safety between its walls.
Winter is coming; soon it will be too cold to live in tents and other
makeshift shelters. The leaders of the survivors—Katie, Jenni, Juan,
Travis, and Nerit—decide it’s time for an assault on the zombie-occupied
hotel that looms over the town square.

A pitched battle in the
banquet room is the start of a harrowing, room-by-room struggle from
Reception to roof. As the sun sets, the people of Ashley Oaks gather in
the hotel’s rooftop ballroom and gazebo to celebrate their survival. Gazing
out over the beauty of the surrounding Texas countryside, it’s hard to
believe that death and danger lurk around every corner.

The
fort’s search and rescue teams have attracted unwanted attention from
bandits who see the fort as competition for food . . . and as a ready
source of women. The first attacks are minor, but everyone knows there
is worse to come.

And beyond the fort’s walls, the zombies shamble, moaning, eyes fastened hungrily upon the living.

*********************************************

About Rhiannon Frater:

Rhiannon Frater is the award-winning author of the As the World Dies trilogy (The First Days, Fighting to Survive, Siege,)
and the author of three other books: the vampire novels Pretty When She
Dies and The Tale of the Vampire Bride and the young-adult zombie novel
The Living Dead Boy and the Zombie Hunters. Inspired to
independently produce her work from the urging of her fans, she
published The First Days in late 2008 and quickly gathered a
cult following. She won the Dead Letter Award back-to-back for both The
First Days and Fighting to Survive,
the former of which the Harrisburg Book Examiner called ‘one of the
best zombie books of the decade.’ Rhiannon is currently represented by
Hannah Gordon of the Foundry + Literary Media agency. You may contact
her by sending an email to rhiannonfrater@gmail.com.

After enduring a
horrific plane crash, a small group of survivors must work together in
order to withstand the harshest conditions imaginable in the remote
wilderness of New Zealand’s South Island.

The year is 2022, and their epic journey, fraught with danger and mystery, will alter the course of human history forever.

Led
by charismatic Special Forces captain Noah Lockheart and his wife
Evelyn, an accomplished scientist, the band of weary travelers must
battle the elements along with their fears, as they race toward
civilization, and their hope for rescue.

Among the survivors is
Mia Sinclair, an extraordinary girl who can glimpse the future. Through
their trials, the Lockhearts begin to uncover the girl’s ability in
spite of her best efforts to keep it hidden. But even as Mia proves to
be an invaluable ally, her gift comes at an unbearable cost.

Each
step brings them closer to salvation– and to unraveling the mystery of
their abandonment. But just when they think they are saved, they realize
that they have never been farther from home.

Eden is a bold,
heart-pounding page-turner, told through the seamlessly shifting
perspectives of the eccentric band of survivors. As the thriller
unfolds, so do the survivors’ inextricable links to one another in a
plot rife with twists and turns, till the very end.

*********************************************

Eden takes place in the
year 2022. The United States
is no more. It has been wiped off the face of the Earth and due to that there
has been a war. After the war, a man named Noah and his wife Evelyn want to go
on a trip to New Zealand
to visit their family. But their plans are instantly changed when the plane
goes down, but it wasn’t an accident. Someone has tampered with the plane
causing many to lose their lives. The remaining survivors end up on an island
in New Zealand
where they must work together until rescue finds them. They must do whatever it
takes to survive. But life again may have other plans in store.

There aren’t
enough words in the world to describe just how incredible this read was. It is
such a perfect blend of genres and I mean perfect. It is a Dystopian, Post-apocalypse,
Horror, Science Fiction, Paranormal, Thriller, and Mystery all rolled into one.
It doesn’t feel cluttered or weighted down from too many ideas. It flows
beautifully. This is not only one of the best books I have read already this
year, but one of the best books I have ever read. I had no idea where this book
would take me, but I was in awe every time I got there.

The
characters in this book were amazing. Each one is unique and plays a crucial
role in things to come in the book. There are quite a few, but I will focus on
the main four. Our main character Noah is a former Captain for the British
military. He is also a survivalist. He is definitely the glue that held the group
together. If not for him, many more would have died even after they survived
the crash. He is the one that discovered something was wrong on the plane to
begin with and he believes that it was a terrorist attack. We also have his
wife Evelyn. She is a doctor and was also a huge help to the group. They were
amazing companions in this book. You can tell how much they loved each other
and were willing to do anything to save the other and those around them.

Then
we have the twins Max and Mia. Max is the flirty, outgoing one and Mia is the
reserved, shy one. But she has to be. Mia has a special gift. Her gift is a
paramount in this book. I love how much she got along with Noah and Evelyn when
she couldn’t get along with anyone but her brother and even that was feat. Max
and Noah were fun together. They were a lot o a like. Both are very
adventurous, but Max was definitely the more cocky one given he is the
self-proclaimed stud. I also enjoyed the characters we met like Atua and his group of fisherman. They definitely added another layer of mystery to the book. Some I found creepy specifically Maaka. I love Mia's part in it. It is peculiar, but still very good.

The story
is just beyond epic. It is hard to just stick to one main one because each one
adds a layer. Once you get the complete picture, you will be screaming. I
actually did and even then we are not done. The journey these characters go on
is a rollercoaster. They are traveling and trying to figure where to go to get
rescued. But on their travels they see that may not be possible and want to
know why. The story goes far beyond someone tampering with the plane. They deal
with many tribulations while trying to stay alive and just when you think they
are safe, they are hit with an even bigger shock than the plane crash. There
are no words for what is about to come.

I have
absolutely no problems with this book. Wait, no. There is one problem; the fact
that I have to wait for the next book. I want it yesterday. This book is simply
a masterpiece. It has all the elements and more. It is clever, fast paced, funny,
full of action and mystery and just so much more. I can’t even tell you what
genre this falls under. It does such a good job blending them all into one. Don’t
even bother putting this on your wishlist, just buy it. Buy it and start it the
moment you get it. I swear you won’t put it down until you reach the end. If
you aren’t breathless by the time you reach the end, you’ll need to get your
head checked. This is one incredible debut. Highly recommended!

In 1902, in a dark room
on the fifth floor of Carnegie Hall, thirteen people came together to
continue a tradition that had been set in stone thousands of years
before.

In 2012, Leah Tallent is Head of Research at the New
York Public Library. Stoic and stable, brilliant and cynical, she has
forever enjoyed her existence among the book stacks. But even with her
unparalleled intellect, there was no way to know that on the historic
steps between America's famous lions, she would become involved with a
crazy man on a fanatical quest.

Gareth Lowery has spent his life
searching for the ultimate artifact that he is certain exists. His
life's pursuit has been to retrieve twelve keys hidden by men whose job
it was to protect the single biggest secret ever kept. To find the keys
he must enlist the help of an unwilling guide who, unfortunately, knows
much more than he bargained for.

From the first page to the last
word, this fantastic duo become immersed in a whirlwind treasure hunt
with historical and passionate repercussions. From the strange and eerie
Winchester House to the blustery darkness of Loch Ness, Gareth and Leah
will quickly learn that the theory of duality is correct: For every bad
there is a good and, for Heaven, there most assuredly exists...Hell.

*********************************************

13 follows a young woman named
Leah who works at a library. She loves her books and everything they
represent. She is a smart woman who invests her life in research and
facts. But one day at a special event at the library she works at,
she meets a man that is obviously off his rocker. Or is he? Gareth is
on a mission like no other. He is searching for an artifact that
could change the world completely. Problem is the only way to find
the artifact is with Leah's help. She is not the most adventurous or
a believer in his crazy stories. But out of curiosity, she helps. But
the deeper into the mystery they go, the more dangerous things
become. But they aren't aware just how much danger they are really
in.

I had a blast with this 13, I
couldn't put it down. Someone said this was Indiana Jones
meets The DaVinci Code. That is quite the perfect description
of this read. It was so much fun uncovering these mysteries with the
characters. I love the history that plays a part in the story as
well. Lignor definitely put a lot of work into this and it shows. I
specifically loved the usage of the Winchester House. I heard about
that story years ago and to this day it keeps me out. I saw a tour of
the house on tv once and I know I will never step foot into it. The
whole scene Lignor had in the house is one of my favorite scenes in
this book though. Brilliant.

I loved the characters. Leah and
Gareth are ying and yang. Leah is very uptight and a loner. Gareth is
charming and laid back. But together, they worked very well. I love
the tension between them. Their scenes together are very memorable
for me, They are so funny together and I found myself smiling every
time they had a conversation. They were so compatible, it felt real
and natural when they were together. Even when they are bickering
back and forth, you just love them all the more for it. Definitely a
team I could get behind. Then we have Gareth's friend Donovan. Leah
instantly feels uneasy around him and I can't blame her. He has a
vibe that gives you a very creepy feeling. I also loved Kathryn and
Emanuel, Gareth's sister and her co-worker/lover. Her and Leah are a
lot alike and I loved how easily they got along.

The plot was a lot fun. I love how
with each place we visit that moves the story along we are put into
that history through Leah. They are looking for keys that will help
them unlock the greatest artifact of all. Leah gets these flashes
every time she visits a location that hides a key to help them find
the artifact. It was so vivid and well put together. I love the use
of Heaven and Hell in this book. The idea to unlocking doors to them
is amazing. Lignor also uses the stories of The Last Supper
and The Temptation as part of
the plot. I don't want to give out exactly how, but it is so good.
Scratch that, it is brilliant, plain and simple. The
DaVinci Code wishes it could be
this entertaining.

Now I
did have a couple of problems with this book. For instance, I know
Leah is a self-proclaimed atheist. But come on. When she experiences
these flashbacks to the areas they visit, she treats it like nothing
after. How can you still have so little faith after what you have
seen? She sort of writes it off as nothing. I also would have liked a
bit more conflict in the areas they visited, whether it be from the
area or whoever was after them. But they are still thrilling though. So I guess not much of a complaint, but still. If you read it, you will see what I mean. Also I would have liked if this was a
little more of an adult read. Gareth is too hot for us not to get a
nude scene out of him. Such a tease. There are also little bits of
information we get that is not entirely explained. But this could
easily be just making room for book 2 which I have every intention of
reading.

I
loved this book. Lignor is super talented and that fact shines like a
beacon in this book. Despite a hiccups, it doesn't take away from
the magnitude of the story and the incredible adventure it took me
on. It is a well told story and it is well written, The characters
are lovable and even though this is fiction, I love the sense of
realism this story gives you. Another sequel I can't wait to sink my
teeth into. Highly recommended. Add this to your cart now.

Piper LeVine is the daughter of wealthy Senator, Harold and Katrine, or so she thought. When a stranger arrives in the night and throws her identity into question, Piper must uncover the secrets of her true origin.Treacherous demons from a past she never knew she had are coming for her and only the Gypsies know how to deal with the monsters of myth.Nicholas proves less than truthful from the get-go, but who can she hold onto amongst a sea of mystic if not hostile strangers? He is dangerous, captivating, and the only one who she knows that will stand against the creatures of the dark that seek her.In search for the truth Piper will find more than her identity. She will discover her destiny, what she is made of, and the family that determines her fate.

*********************************************

Piper LeVine and a Gypsy’s Truth
is about a young girl named Piper. One night after being grounded, so
makes a discovery that she clearly wasn't suppose to make. She finds
out that her mom is not her real mom. That her real mom sold her to
her senator of a father since he was the father. Dad already thinks
low of Piper, so Piper Is more than happy to move in with her
wonderful grandmother to work on her ranch. While there, Piper
notices strange figures hanging outside her window. A new person
arrives named Nicholas in quite the disguise and he knows Piper is
distraught over what she has learned about her birth mother. He wants
her to open her eyes and find out all she can about her mother. But
through digging, Piper finds out her mother is a gypsy. The gypsies
are more connected to Piper and her life than she thinks. She doesn't
want to trust him, but she has to because they are the only ones that
can get rid of the mysterious figures following her.

This was an interesting take on
gypsies. I have never read a story about them, but I have heard
plenty. This was very interesting because of the paranormal
connection they possess and I liked that. Kelli has given us
something quite fresh. I had no idea where the connection would meet,
but I liked it when we found out. Kelli has created quite an
interesting world and I want more.

I really liked Piper. She is just a
regular teenage girl just trying to live her life. But given her
father and his rules, she can't do anything without the paparazzi
following and making a spectacle out of her. Her father was just pure
scum. Even if she is not your daughter, you don't treat a kid like
that. I couldn't believe it especially after we meet Trina. I was
asking the same questions like Piper. Why does she get followed
around and not Trina? Why is Trina getting the free pass when she is
having her own phase? Her adopted mother just took it for what it is
worth, The price to pay for the high life. I liked Nicholas, but I
wanted to punch him quite a bit in this book. He doesn't really
outright lie, but he leaves a lot of things out. If only he opened
his mouth a lot of craziness could be avoided. Only a man. I do like
how Nicholas and Piper officially met, it was pretty funny. The spark
they had was just amazing. I didn't get any sparks between Rick and
Piper. Rick is her former boyfriend who says he loves her, but made a
mistake I know I would have kneed him in the groin for. But I did
feel bad for him. I also love the characters we meet later on. I
really liked Isabeau and the relationship that grew between her and
Piper. They were quite the match. Although it did get a little sad
considering what happened.

I love how the book builds up to the
gypsies. They don't show up until about halfway and once we meet
them, things for Piper go downhill. She thought she had it bad with
her dad. I take that back, he is awful. Still the things she learns
about her past and her family is a lot to take in. I can't say I
blame her for her reactions sometime, but goodness. I do like her
spunk though. I love the idea of the gypsies and the Sith. The Sith
are after Piper given her past and her birth mother. But there are a
lot more twists and turns in this book so I won't say too much. I
loved them all though.

This book does have a bit of a YA love
triangle, but I liked this one. It is a bit sad though when we get
the whole story. I just loved this book. It was well written and kept
my attention. The characters are so lovable. I love all the men Kelli
has included in this book especially Nicholas. He had me smiling like
a schoolgirl. I especially love the end with Grandma Sidney. How can
you hate him? You have to check this out. The mystery and the pacing
is just great. I was hanging on to every word in this book.
Definitely check this book out if you are looking for something
unique, fun, and thrilling.